Alvis Saladin

WorldBrand briefing

AI supplement

Original synthesis to sit alongside the encyclopedia article below. Not part of Wikipedia; verify facts on Wikipedia when precision matters.

The Alvis Saladin (FV601) is a British six-wheeled armored car developed post-WWII as a reconnaissance vehicle, designed and produced by Alvis Limited.

Key moments

1946British Army initiates requirement to replace older armored cars, project FV601 launched
1953Alvis completes 2 prototype vehicles
1955Crossley Motors builds 6 pre-production FV601(B) samples
1956FV601(C) Saladin Mk 2 production approved
1958Full production starts
1959First vehicles delivered to British Army
1972Production ceases, total 1177 units built

Design and Role

The Saladin features all-steel welded construction, with a crew of three: driver, gunner, and commander/loader. It is armed with a 76mm L5A1 gun, paired with 7.62mm machine guns, and has six-wheel drive with independent suspension. It was not amphibious and lacked NBC or night vision gear initially.

Service History

It saw active use with the British Army in Germany, Cyprus, and other overseas postings, and was exported to over 20 nations including Kuwait, Lebanon, and Indonesia. British frontline units replaced it with the Scorpion CVR(T) in the 1970s, but many examples remained in reserve or second-line service globally for decades.

Legacy

The Saladin became a iconic Cold War reconnaissance vehicle, and its design influenced later wheeled armored cars. A small number still exist in museum collections or active use with smaller military forces today.

Overview

Alvis Saladin

origin	United Kingdom
type	Armoured car
is vehicle	yes
is uk	yes
used by	See Operators
wars	• First Sudanese Civil War • Six-Day War • Aden Emergency • Nigerian Civil War • Dhofar Rebellion • The Troubles • Lebanese Civil War • Sri Lankan Civil War • Second Sudanese Civil War • Maluku sectarian conflict
designer	Crossley Motors

History

design date	1954‡R1R‡

manufacturer	Alvis

production date	1958–1972‡R2R‡

number	1,177

length	4.93 m

width	2.54 m

height	2.39 m

weight	11.6 t

suspension	6x6 wheel

speed	72 km/h

vehicle range	400 km

primary armament	76 mm L5A1 gun with 42 rounds

secondary armament	2 × M1919A4 machine guns with 3,500 rounds

armour	Up to 32 mm

engine	Rolls-Royce B80 Mk.6A, 8 cyl petrol

engine power	170 hp (127 kW)

pw ratio	15.5 hp/tonne

crew	3

Development

Following the end of the Second World War, the British Army issued a requirement for a new, 6×6 wheeled armoured vehicle to replace the obsolete AEC armoured car.[4] Design work began in 1947 and a contract was awarded to Alvis Cars to build two prototypes for trials. The new armoured car was designated FV601A and armed with an Ordnance QF 2-pounder gun.[4] Alvis also proposed a much heavier fire support variant designated FV601B armed with a new 76 mm low-pressure gun.[4] Design work on the FV601B was subcontracted to Crossley Motors, which engineered and manufactured six pre-production models.[4] After further modifications by Alvis, the FV601C entered mass production in 1958 as the Alvis Saladin.

Surviving vehicles

There is a Saladin on display as a gate guard at Episkopi Garrison, British Sovereign Base, Cyprus. It is dedicated to the memory of L/Cpl Nicholas Stokes, who died in a training accident in October 1992.[28]

A decommissioned Lebanese Army Saladin is currently part of the "Hope for Peace" monument in Yarze, Lebanon.

There is an FV 601 Saladin in Yad la-Shiryon museum, Latrun.

There is an Alvis Saladin at Sri Lanka Armoured Corps Training Centre, Anuradhapura – a gate guard.

Several Saladins are parked at a tank garage at The Indonesian Army 4th Cavalry Battalion.

There are three surviving Saladins in The Tank Museum, Dorset, England. One, in all over green, is displayed in the tank story exhibition. The second, in all over tan, is in operational condition and used in events. The third, in a tan and green camouflage pattern, is part of the museum's reserve collection and is stored in the vehicle conservation centre.

There is a Saladin in the Muckleburgh Collection, Norfolk, England. It can be seen running at various time during the year.

There is a Saladin on display at the Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry Museum at Hever Castle in Kent.

There is a Saladin at the Dunmore Park base of the B Squadron "

Service

British Army

The Saladin was used by B Squadron 16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers during their defence of Nicosia airport in 1974 and subsequent armed reconnaissance operations under the banner of the UN. Saladins were also employed by the British Army in Northern Ireland during The Troubles.[7] In 1975 Saladins of B Squadron 1Royal Tank Regiment were moved from Pergamos Eastern SBA to assist with the defence of Nicosia Airport, this was a stand off with Turkish forces and UN forces.

Australia

The Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) modified Saladin turrets, and fitted them onto M113A1 tracked personnel carriers; this combination was known as the Fire Support Vehicle (FSV). However, the same name was also used for a subsequent vehicle, based on the turret from the FV101 Scorpion (and accepted by the RAAC in 1976). This was later redesignated the Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle (MRV).[8]

Oman

The Saladin was widely used by the Sultan of Oman's armed forces throughout the Omani Civil War, and saw extensive action during the period 1971 to 1976, supporting ground forces and on convoy patrol. Often crewed by British servicemen (loan soldiers) and Omani servicemen, the Sultan's Armoured Car Squadron consisted of an estimated 36 Saladins. They saw extensive action supporting troops from the British SAS, Oman Firqa, Oman regulars, and Iranian forces in their war with the Adoo. The squadron's vehicles were regularly attacked by Katyusha rockets, anti-tank mines, rocket propelled grenades, and light and heavy machine gun fire. Many vehicles were mined and repaired, and after the end of the war in 1976 the Saladin remained in service until the early 1980s. An unpublished account called The Tinned Equivalent was written in 1977, and details many of the events of that war.

Sri Lanka

The Ceylon Army received several ex-British Army Saladins following the outbreak of the 1971 JVP insurrection and were deployed counter-insurgency operations. These were used extensively by the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps in the 1980s in the early stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War, with its 76 mm gun being effective in countering insurgents. However, the wheeled vehicles had limited cross country capabilities and suffered damage from IEDs and RPGs in urban areas. In one case, in July 1987 during an insurgent attack on an army encampment in Jaffna, a Saladin was knocked out when an RPG entered through the drivers viewing portal, killing the driver and a sergeant inside. The LTTE mounted the turret of a captured Saladin on to a captured YW531 turning it into a light tank, which was later captured by the Sri Lankan Army at the end of the civil war.[9] The Sri Lankan Army phased out its Saladins from its A list in the 1990s due to a lack of spares from the United Kingdom and replaced it with BMP-1 IFV after an order for Cadillac Gage Commandos fell though. It retained one for ceremonial use.[10] Saladins remained in reserve status till the end of the war in 2009. It forms the tank crew pin of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps.[11]

Kuwait

During the 1990 invasion of Kuwait, Saladins were filmed on the streets of Kuwait City during Battle of Dasman Palace against Iraqi forces.

Indonesia

The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) uses the Saladin for "KOSTRAD Cavalry Battalion", "KOSTRAD Recon Company" and Armoured Car Company. In 2014, the Indonesian Army confirmed that it was continuing to deploy the Saladin in active operations.[12] Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla charged state-owned arms manufacturer Pindad with developing a modernization package for the Saladin in early 2016, indicating the armoured car would continue to remain in service for some time.[13] By the end of the year 16 Indonesian Army Saladins had been modernized by Pindad.[14]

Sudan

The Sudanese Army deployed Saladins during the Second Sudanese Civil War, some being captured by the SPLA.[15]

West Germany

Nearly 100 Saladins were exported to the Federal Republic of Germany as part of a British assistance programme for the fledgling Bundesgrenzschutz in the mid to late 1950s.[6] In West German service they were designated Geschützter Sonderwagen III and utilised for border patrols.[5] All but 25, along with the entire West German inventory of spare parts,[16] were later resold to Honduras as part of a $7 million deal negotiated through Honduran defence contractor Gerard Latchinian.[17] Honduran Saladins could be seen in the streets of Tegucigalpa in the 2009 coup against President Manuel Zelaya.[16]

Alvis Saladin

WorldBrand briefing

Design and Role

Service History

Legacy

History

Development

Operators

Surviving vehicles

External links

References

Service

British Army

Australia

Oman

Sri Lanka

Kuwait

Indonesia

Sudan

West Germany

British Army

Australia

Oman

Sri Lanka

Kuwait

Indonesia

Sudan

West Germany

Former operators